Heel-spring



P. mnouALn.

[No Model.)

HEEL SPRING.

Patented Jan. 14

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' VANDRKW ELRAMAM PHOTOUTHQWASHINGTOND D UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK MCDONALD, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

HEEL-SPRING.,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,128, dated January 14, 1896.

Application filed September 4, 1895- Serial No. 561,450. (No modeL) To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK MCDONALD, of Malden, in the county of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Heel-Spring, of which the following is a full,clear,and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide means whereby the step of a person may be cushioned and the jar of the step taken up and dissipated by the cushion; and the invention is particularly adapted for use by railroad men, who are subjected to the incessant jar and vibration of a moving train.

To this end the invention comprises a peculiarly-constructed spring-plate held to the shank of the shoe and projecting over the heel,

' and having an auxiliary spring secured to it and on the surface adjacent to the heel.

The invention will be fully described hereinafter and finally embodied in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device, showing it detached from the shoe. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the under side of the shoe and the attachment applied, and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the attachment.

In carrying out my invention I secure rigidly to the shank of the shoe a plate 1, which is formed with a screw-threaded opening 2, in which the thumb screw 3 operates. This thumb-screw is also passed through an opening formed in an arm 4, which is bent to form a portion a, which lies snugly against the plate 1, and a portion 1) which is bent downwardly and rearwardly to a point just below the front and lower edge of the heel of the shoe, and is there made integral with a plate 5, which is of the same size as the size of the heel,and which conforms to the shape thereof. This plate is provided with three flanges 6, two of which are smaller than the third, and are arranged on opposite sides of the plate, while the third is arranged at the rear edge thereof so as to embrace the rear portion of the heel.

Secured to the under side of the plate 5 by means of screws 7 are rubber caps 8, which are preferably three in number, and which serve the dual purpose of assisting in the cushioning effect of the attachment and to prevent slipping. Suitably fastened to the curved portion b of the arm 4 is an auxiliary spring 9, which comprises a shank portion 10 lying snugly against the part b of the arm 4, and the other end of the auxiliary spring 9 is formed with three oppositely projecting springpoints 11,which engage with the upper side of the plate 5, and are arched or curved upwardly from the same so as to be in engagement with the under side of the heel. It will thus be seen that the spring 9, being in engagement with the under side of the heel and with the plate 5, will furnish resiliency to cushion the step of the person wearing the shoe, and that the jar and vibration of a train or other moving vehicle will not be transmitted to the person,

but will be lost in the resiliency of the spring. The arm 4 will also be made of spring metal, so as to yield and follow the compression of the spring 9.

Having thus described my invention,I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent' 1. A heel spring, comprising an arm adapted to be secured to the shank of a shoe or boot, a plate held by said arm, and having flanges at its edges adapted to embrace the heel, and an auxiliary spring comprising a shank secured to the arm, and arched spring points projecting from the shank, substantially as described.

2. A heel spring, comprising an arm, a plate connected to the arm and conforming to the shape of a heel of, a shoe or boot, the plate having upwardly projecting flanges, and an auxiliary spring comprising a shank secured to the arm, and spring points projecting from the shank the auxiliary spring being held above the plate, substantially as described.

3. A heel spring, comprising an arm adapt-- ed to be secured to the shank of the shoe and to project rearwardly and downwardly toward the under side of the heel,a plate carried by said arm and supported immediately below the heel, and an auxiliary spring secured to the upper side of said arm and projecting rearwardly and above the plate,the said spring being curved and adapted to engage both the plate and the heel, substantially as described.

FRANK MCDONALD.

itnesses GEO. I-I. FALL,

EBEN P. ELwELL. 

